PG Report 7/28/11

My friend Devin and I dove Pacific Grove yesterday, eager to do some exploring.

We considered diving Carmel instead, but upon seeing the relatively flat conditions (no wind, spaced out swells, overcast) at Otter, we opted to dive there. We loaded up our gear and launched our kayaks by 11am.

Rather than hitting the areas I usually do, we seeked out new spots and reefs to dive. Our first stop we found a decent pinnacle, its base in 30 feet of water, and its top jutting up to about 15 feet. Visibility here was excellent, 15 in most spots, ranging to 20-25 in a few spots. My first drop I shot a kelpie. Devin did the same. Interesting to note, is that Devin found a few scattered black rockfish (to 12") which one doesn't see a whole lot of in the Monterey area.

The pinnacle was a very good area. The substrate was well suited to cabezon, with lots of coralline algae and plenty of holes to hide in, as well as numerous rock crabs.

As I did my usual recon of the area, I stumbled up a large, promising boulder in about 30 feet of water. I dove down and discovered a nice overhang, forming a perfect crack. "Lingcod," immediately raced through my mind. I entered the cave and shined my light in the crack, illuminating a tail, an elongated body, and then a head.

The funny thing is, shooting decent lings isn't the same after shooting that 17.5 pounder a couple weeks back. I should do that more often   

The ling was sitting facing inward to his hole, so I had to adjust my angle to get a solid shot through the head. THWACK! Got him. I tried to pull my shaft out, but it was a little bit stuck, so I went up for air to reassess. I breathed up, went back down, and the shaft came out, ling on, very easily. He went 25" and had blue meat. Also, he had an octopus in his stomach, a pretty good last meal.



Next, I found a legal cab in a hole and shot it. Like the ling, it had a full belly, consisting of six assorted crab species and one abalone.


We then moved spots and checked out a new spot where I heard that olives were pretty common. Sure enough, they were... Only they were all juveniles, except for maybe one which was spooked off into the haze (vis here was only 10 feet or so). We then headed in, amazed that it was already 4pm and that we had been out for 5 hours. It's mazing how difficult it is to keep track of time while diving with an overcast.

Devin finished the day with one ling, one kelpie, and a couple blacks. I finished with one ling, three kelpies, and a cab.

It's always fun and rewarding when you can get out and check out some new areas.

Rick and Devin, glad to read that both of ya took advantage on the nice conditions to do some new explorations. Wtg my brothers on a nice stringer as well!!

HECK YEAH!!!!

WTG Rick!!!! And Devin!!!

Glad to hear the viz was better for you...am taking my brother in law out tomorrow and hoping I can put him on his first speared fish! 

Really stoked for you Rick, and hope we get to dive together one day soon!

Congrats again and thanks for sharing!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Nice work gentlemen.

Thanks for the hunting report and pictures Rick.

You should go halibut hunting soon!

WTG Rick. You're a lingslayer my man!

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Great report! This is getting me through the day, working on saturday sucks
Will dive together one day.

Great job!  Love the pics!

Every time I show a friend the videos we make, they always say " how come that little kid has more/bigger fish than you " LOL, then I reply " someone has to focus on the video "  my excuse for the year.  LOL